As my MB6 project is almost done, I'm going to attempt another project.

Some time ago I posted a pic of a model which was to be the original XP-86 (top two pics). I just taped it up with the only part glued was the fin/rudder.

It is still in this state (bottom pic) so I'll start this new project and see if I can get it done by the end of the GB. The only other parts glued here are the wings (from a FJ-1 kit), I had started these for my Twin Fury but had realized I needed the wings before I glued them together. So I switched them over. You can see that I had removed the wing root leading edge extension which actually works in my favour for this project, that's because the wing root chord for the F-86A turns out to be the same length as the FJ-1 root chord without the extension.

Just as you see it in the pics Tophe, although the story might have a bit of a twist to it.

I've been working on it yesterday, doing my usual practice of keeping the main u/c in the same place, I've moved the wing root on the fuselage backwards and then moved the wheel bays in the wings inboard so the wheels will be in the fuselage when they are retracted.I also had to change the really awful exhaust exit that the Matchbox F-86A has, used a Heller F-86E rear fuselage exhaust area to do that although I kept the F-86A tail plane wing root which is quite a bit different to later models (that's if the kit is correct).

The Matchbox kit is of Lesney vintage, the plastic is really brittle, just a slight snag of the razor saw and it splinters in all directions, I've had lots of repairs going which is slowing the build because I need to make sure the part is glued really good before I can proceed.

I've also made a discovery about why the Tazman replacement vacuform canopies I put on the Siga FJ-1's I used for my Twin Fury project didn't fit. I've found that the Siga kit canopy practically fits perfectly on this F-86A kit.

Got a bit done over the last couple of days, so far it's been quite easy. I made a better air intake duct out of aluminum tubing, I'm going to leave it in NMF. The front wheel I just temporarily used an F-86 leg, but with the main u/c legs I intend to use I will change it for a longer leg. One of the Siga FJ-1 kits came with a white metal cockpit tub which I didn't use on the Twin Fury project. It went in quite easily and works as a nose weight. I did add just a little bit of extra lead which is glued to the top of the intake duct close to the nose just to be on the safe side (I don't want this to be a tail-sitter)

Here's some reference pics. Top pic is of the supposedly only known photo of the original XP-86, but I've seen another photo of it in an article I've read. Although the article wasn't about the XP-86, it was about another North American product (s) and the photo just happens to say 'notice the XP-86 in the background'. Of course, do you think I can find that photo again --- The original XP-86 was never completed as the photo shows, but it would have been similar to the XFJ-1 which did fly as you can see in the bottom photo.

Here's a footnote: The P-86 in it's straight wing form wasn't proceeded with because it didn't have a marked improvement in performance over the other two jets that were being developed, the P-80 and the P-84 which were put into production because they were much further ahead with the designs (eg. they were flying, at least the XP versions were). So here's the story:

As the War dragged on into another year, it was soon realized that Britain was going to need all the jet aircraft it could get. Information from inside Germany had revealed that they were transferring technical info to the Japanese which included jet aircraft designs. After this revelation was shown to the Air Ministry, they immediately instructed the British Purchasing Commission (BPC) to approach the US Government about acquiring jet aircraft from them. Unfortunately they soon found out that all the USA jet production of P-80's and P-84's was exclusively for the USAAF, along with all jet engine production. Not about to give up, they then had a meeting with North American because of their previous association involving the Mustang. North American told them they had a design and a mockup of their aircraft already but repeated that their Government wasn't going to buy it. On top of that they said they couldn't even get the J35 jet engines which they had designed around.The BPC told NAA that they really needed the aircraft and that they would fit their own engines into it if they were compatible. It was agreed that the Air Ministry would send them a copy of an engine that was ready for production for this purpose. This was the Metro-Vick F2/4 (sometimes called the Beryl) which was around the same dimensions as the J35 and produced about the same amount of thrust although it was slightly smaller in diameter and quite a bit lighter in weight.After receiving the example engine, NAA modified the engine bay to except it and after the BPC and other dignitaries had inspected the result, and order was placed for the airframes minus engines.The resulting aircraft was called the North American Bronco by the British and the first 20 were powered by the F2/4 made by Metro-Vick and called the Bronco F.1 and assembled in the UK. The Air Ministry had previously realized that Metro-Vick wasn't up to mass producing the engines so they had already approached Armstrong Siddeley to take over the production side, the next 50 were powered by the basically identical F2/4 made by AS and were called Bronco F.1a. These were followed by the F.2, which were F2/4's revised for better production by AS. The next version was the F.2a which had a more powerful F2/4 and then came the Bronco F.2b. This was optimized for the ground attack role.The majority of the F.2a's and b's were assembled in a plant in Australia where it was found more economical because of the theatre they were to be operated in. The airframes being shipped straight from California across the Pacific, while the engines came from the other direction.

So here's the finished product in the SEAC scheme flown by 68 Sqn, who had converted over to the Bronco after flying Martin Baker MB6's in southern Europe.